Review: MakeUpBreakUp – Scents

MakeUpBreakUp impressed on their debut EP, drawing comparisons with New Order as well as John Hughes’ sequence of 1980’s films. The Rhode Island trio created a collection of infectious, dance-inflected indie songs but can they sustain the form over the course of forty minutes?

‘Wow’ is a perfect way to continue the sugar rush. Distorted guitars and 80’s synth melodies create an effervescent atmosphere for verses which are just as urgent as the chorus. ‘Wow’ even ends with a squall of ear-piercing feedback but it’s still the most commercial offering on here. For even though MakeUpBreakUp make pop music, it’s of the strictly alternative variety. The next track, ‘My Way, To The Top’, makes great use of insistent percussion and is another thriller.

Yet the formula for sweaty new wave varies little right to the end of the album. The songs are consistently decent but after the opening euphoria wears off, the album becomes less interesting. That said, ‘Better Days’ possesses a swooning melancholy which makes it a notable highlight.

MakeUpBreakUp seem to be very exciting on the surface but beneath the gloss, there’s isn’t an awful lot of substance. So if the EP showed promise, this is merely bland consolidation.